Formation microfinance

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Sambhav was created to mobilze Sahariya population of this region in 1986 for thier empowerment. Strategy adopted to achieve this objective included information sharing, group formation and collectivization of women for accessing the government schemes and raising the level of self esteem.

Through direct program intervetions, it has been able to develop rapport and widerbase among the sahariyas in Shivpuri,Sheopur and Gwalior. Some efforts to improve the status of the community included formation of Union, two Credit and saving cooperatives in Gwalior and Shivpuri, promotion of voluntary agencies in all the neighbouring districts and initiating a program of SHG formation and Microfinance program.

With the support of community volunteers from sahariayas and emerging leadership, sambhav has played significant role in raising the and dignity and respect in the eyes of administration and other communities.

With a committed team of workers at all levels sambhav is placed to undertake different activities for the empowerment of Sahariyas, in particular the SHG and microfinance initiatives. In the neighbourhood of Karahal, an active microfiance program is in progress in Pohri. The staff from here is visiting the Karahal tribal villages quite frequently.

Gradually debates within the organization arose on the organizations capacity and contributions to the livelihood dimensions at community level. There was a group that believed in grass root interventions without introduction of fiscal terms, where the other school of thought clearly identified and justified the need of direct funding and financial support to the community in order to ensure sustainable livelihood promotion. Series of discussions and debates happened within the organization. A purposeful discussion between the two schools of thoughts within the organization, helped Sambhav identify microfinance as one of the strongest and fastest mode sustainable economic development.

Starting in January 2007, Sambhav worked with the support of, amongst others, BASIX and ACCESS Development services and ICICI bank to develop into a well-developed institute, today serving 2649 borrowers. Having attended a number of training workshops in topics such as delinquency management, cash-flow analysis, and product design, we now enjoy a 98.5% repayment rate. Sambhav provides a range of products, designed to suit our customers’ needs, differing in repayment mode, loan amount, and tenure. Sambhav finds that its products are utilized for a range of purposes mainly focusing on business investments, such as trainings, machinery, and trade site purchases.

Sambhav MFI’s goal is to make available better financial services to those who need it, for their well being, entrepreneurship, gender equity and social security, especially for marginalized and poverty stricken communities.

Sambhav has been working on developmental and income generation activities for the last 20 years and has presence in seven districts of Madhya Pradesh and Three in adjoining district of Uttar Pradesh. It has been associated with the promotion of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and linking them with the local banks.

The SHG programme of Sambhav is closely intertwined with its other developmental interventions. The SHGs have 10-20 members. These are required to meet and save every month and are monitored by the Field Managers. After few months of their savings, they are linked to the banks as per the bank’s discretion. The banks have their own criteria for the sanctioning of CC limit to the groups, which include current level of savings, regularity in the meetings, capability of the SHGs to maintain proper books of accounts and repayment performance of the group on internal as well as past loans.